Scottsdale Massage Envy Employee Charged with Sexual Abuse

Posted By Montoya, Lucero & Pastor, PA || 26-Feb-2019

The relationship between a massage therapist and a spa guest is based on
trust; based on trust in the therapist and trust in the spa where the
treatment takes place. Often presenting themselves as emotional healers
and physical therapists rolled into one, massage therapists are given
access to people when they may be at their most vulnerable. Massage Envy
Spa and other massage therapy businesses have an exceptionally high responsibility
to properly vet massage therapists and ensure that massage therapists
respect clearly defined boundaries. The lawyer at Montoya, Lucero &
Pastor also believe that massage therapy spas also have a moral responsibility
to do what is right by reporting sexual assault to law enforcement immediately.

In a shocking violation of that responsibility, one
Massage Envy worker in Scottsdale was recently charged with sexual assault. In addition to the criminal
charge, Massage Envy Spa and its employee may be liable for the physical,
psychological and emotional harm victims of sexual abuse and sexual assault
often experience.

Pursuing Legal Action Against Sexual Abusers

According to reports, Massage Envy therapist Caleb Cherry began massaging
the victim as usual on February 15th, when the alleged incident took place. As the massage progressed, however,
the victim reported that Cherry continued to massage her upper thigh long
after she asked him to stop. The victim then left the room, and reported
this violation to the front desk and Scottsdale police. Cherry responded
that it was an “accident” and a “spur of the moment
decision” when questioned by the police.

One of the most disturbing parts of this case concerns Massage Envy Spa’s
official “inappropriate touch” procedure, which they
detail in this document. In this guide, Massage Envy Spa claims to respect the rights of sexual
assault victims, by letting the victims decide whether they want to report
the incident to police. Massage Envy Spa’s inappropriate touch procedure,
however, may also lead an already shocked and confused massage guest to
believe that appropriate action is being taken when in fact time is passing
preventing law enforcement from collecting vital evidence, including DNA
evidence from the perpetrator, massage linens and victim. One former Massage
Envy Spa employee, Kate Hardy, reported that Massage Envy Spa’s
inappropriate touch policy was “in place to protect the company.
It’s centered around defusing the situation so that the client doesn’t
call police. You don’t want cop cars showing up at your location
the next day.”

According to one report, more than 180 woman have reported sexual assaults
at Massage Envy Spa. Allegations include digital penetration of the vagina,
oral sexual contact with the vagina, and oral sexual contact with the
breasts among others.

Helping Victims Heal through Civil Justice

Although the criminal justice system has charged the alleged perpetrator
in this case, it’s an unfortunate truth that most sexual abuse crimes
go unreported – and of all the reported sex crimes, relatively few
are pursued by prosecutors. This means that victims often feel powerless
to bring their abusers to justice, particularly if the sexual abuse was
committed by a close friend, teacher, priest, coach, or authority figure
over a long period of time

That’s why our
Phoenix sexual abuse lawyers have made it our mission to help victims fight back against their abusers
and demand accountability in a civil court of law. By pursuing civil damages
against their abusers, victims can often find a small measure of peace
and justice in the wake of these egregious violations. With more than
60 years of combined experience offering compassionate legal counsel,
our skilled legal team at Montoya, Lucero & Pastor, P.A. can help
you in cases of sexual abuse.

Have you been hurt by a sexual abuser? Don’t hesitate to give us
a call at {F:P:Site:Phone} and schedule your consultation in Phoenix and
surrounding areas.